Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

Baseball is a game full of blood, sweat, and tears.

Competition is always intense, and teams are always gunning for something big.

But when a career reaches its end, it’s always emotional and heartfelt.

Such was the case last night for Los Angeles Angels catcher Kurt Suzuki, who is retiring at the end of the season.

Last night, as the Halos took on the Oakland Athletics, the team Suzuki began his career with, Suzuki caught the first pitch from Angels starter Michael Lorenzen before being removed and receiving a huge standing ovation from the crowd and both dugouts.

To make it even sweeter, it came on Suzuki’s 39th birthday.

Suzuki Gets Proper Sendoff

Suzuki is a well-traveled MLB veteran who has been a part of many great teams.

He saw some great moments in Oakland and was a member of the Washington Nationals’ 2019 World Series team.

But this is a nice moment that he got to experience last night.

It came on his birthday and in the ballpark he once called home.

He was a fan favorite in Oakland, so it’s only fitting that he got to catch the final pitch of his career right where it all began.

Now, Suzuki can reflect on what has been a successful 16-year career.

Catching for that long is certainly not easy.

But Suzuki has experienced a ton of great moments during his career, and he got to experience one more great moment before he took off the gear one last time and officially hung up his spikes.

It’s been a nice ride for Suzuki, but all good things must come to an end.

Suzuki got a nice sendoff last night and experienced a moment he won’t soon forget.

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